Lost Connection
by totalplane
Summary: Alex may well be a hero, but someone from his past hasn't forgotten his early days as a spy-against-his-will. He's out to capture Alex, at any cost; they also have a plan to change the world for century's to come. One persons plan will send Alex across the globe in a mission to save 7 billion people. Rated T for violence and swearing.
1. Prologue

From the moment he had arrived, it was obvious that there was something different about him. He had only been there a week, but already he was massively popular. The girls swooned over him, the boys hung out with him; the teachers thought he excelled in almost every subject. Of course, he had friends: Sabina Pleasure, his former girlfriend now step-sister, Jamie Gardiner, an average dark skinned boy – not quite tanned but not quite pale either – and Ricky 'Turbo' Bellic, an American-Slovakian race car enthusiast. These were his best mates, just to name a few. He lived like an average American teenager – he didn't particularly enjoy school, he spent virtually all of his free time gaming or with his mates, getting into trouble for talking or not doing homework. He resided in one of those houses you see in American reality shows; front lawn with sprinkler, back yard with pool. No-one, not even his parents, could see him any either way. So why did some people treat him like he was different, an alien from a distant planet?

A group of twelfth-graders, some Harley Davidson driving kids who beat up the new kids and basically gave the school a bad name who couldn't see this boy for who he was, tormented him day in, day out. Some of their encounters were long, others a couple of minutes. Sometimes it was them who ended up with a broken nose, but most of the time it was the other way round. They would dump him in trash cans for him to be discovered hours later and then stitched up in the nurses' room, sent off with a pat on his back and a note to the principal, of which he had no idea about. This was his 7th visit this month. He was mugged, embarrassed, a prisoner of the terrifying secrets which lay in the darkest corners of the human soul.

And no-one else except the Pleasure siblings knew his hellish past which constantly tormented this boy. If anyone else knew, his whole life would change. The news would spread like wildfire. But how would his life change? Would people feel sympathy for him, or would they all become like the twelfth-graders? His past was one which started happy but then morphed into a vast pot of demons, torture, blackmail and suffering beyond the imagination of any normal being; nuclear weaponry, sharks, viruses, murder – the recipe which made up the journey of this boy's life – although 'life' couldn't even begin to describe it.

But now his past is coming back to haunt him. The demons are talking. Life is once again changing, leaving this boy to fend for himself.

His name – Alex Rider.

_Authors Note_

If you don't know already, I have changed my name. I've gone from Hutchings12 to totalplane! You should know me if you read my other Alex Rider story last year, Attack on Brookland/Missiles at Dawn (I changed the name after about Ch. 6). This is no longer available, although I may write a similar story after this one. This chapter, as it says in the title, is just the prologue to this story. The next chapter will be longer and actually start to tell the story of Alex and sort of begin to explain who the main characters are!

Now, before I release the next chapter I need to apologize to all Americans reading this. I live in England so I don't know much about life in America. Just tell me if I get something wrong. I suppose that at least I got the name of the motorbikes right! I'm not quite sure about how frequent new chapters will be. Probably about once a week, but with my gaming 'schedule', I'm not too sure. Research will also extend the updates because most chapters will take place in different places around the world. Anyway, please subscribe if you like and leave a review!


	2. Escaped

"…and finally, American officials say that they have teamed up with the Authority of Egypt, Spanish police officials, the National Office of Protection for North Africa (NOPNA) and the Central European Security Sector (CESS) to track down a dangerous criminal who escaped from a top secret prison facility outside Spain yesterday. The prisoner, described as a tall Iraq man with short blonde hair, was last seen leaving the compound, after murdering twelve guards with an unnamed assault rifle and injuring three more, in a beat-up Land Rover. He is thought to have connections with the attempted assassination of the US Sectary of State earlier this year in Cairo. The Spanish and all North African and Southern European Governments are now increasing security at all major checkpoints around their countries which will include vehicle searches and ID recognition scans. Diego Montero, Head of Security at the Port of Valencia, said "We are increasingly worried about the escape of this man. He is not safe and never will be. The real threat is that if he can hide out long enough then chances are he will again become the terrorist he once was". Police are appealing to all members of the public 'not to panic and to report any odd behaviour to their local police station".

Alex and Sabina Pleasure were gathered around the 37" inch LED TV at their house in suburban San Francisco. There was about 10 minutes left until they had to leave for school, which seemed even more demanding when it was 7:50am and a cold and stormy Friday - unusual for summer here in Northern California. Their parents, Edward and Liz were still sleeping. Alex had awoken at 7:00am, 30 minutes after Sabina, showered and threw on a pair of black jeans, plain red shirt and leather jacket, not caring any less about his appearance. Of course, this was a country where there was no school uniform – whatever you wanted to wear, you wore it.

It was 5 months since he had moved to San Francisco, America. His housekeeper, Jack Starbright, had been killed by a bomb planted in a car by the madman Abdul-Aziz Al-Rahim, or Razim, who had made Alex watch the death of the always bright and cheerful women who had been his closest friend and carer for 7 years after the death of his real parents and then his uncle. Following that, Edward and Liz Pleasure had adopted him, especially as him and Sabina, their only daughter, had gone out with each other for 8 months. Just before he had left, Mrs Jones had told him that it was her choice to let Alex go to America, as a way of saying sorry for everything that had happened. It was also 5 months ago that he killed his biological double, Julies Grief. It had had a serious impact on his life – he had never killed before but it was like killing himself. He had murdered a replica of himself. He couldn't forget the events which had changed his live, from his first meeting with MI6 and the CIA to facing certain death and ending up hospitalized with burns and broken limbs. But after that it was decided that enough was enough. Mrs Jones, the new head of the Special Operations Division of MI6 now that Alan Blunt was retired, had promised Alex that they would leave him alone, that there would be no more danger, no bullets, no death, just his new life in America. And that was it. He lived in a large house; he had friends and a real family: something he had always wanted, as well as their new chocolate Labrador which he had named Bon-Bon.

Tiny things had also changed in Alex. He was now softer, more alert, and less aggressive: but when he heard about the escaped prisoner, something inside him jumped liked the spring in sofa. He didn't know what it was, but he must have frozen because the next thing he knew he felt Sabina's hand on his right shoulder.

"Alex? Are you all right?" she asked, gazing into his eyes with a look of confusion.

"I don't know. I think it's the whole 'escaped prisoner in Spain' thing" he replied, his eyes frozen to the TV, which was now announcing the weather – sun for Northern California all day, apparently. Typical, even in America the news can't get the weather right for just one day.

"It just makes me think about things, things that I don't want to remember. Especially after... you know. But I don't know why I remember. It was ages ago – and I know I won't be going back there again."

They sat in silence for about a minute. Alex's eyes were focused on the TV but he wasn't paying attention. Sabina looked into his eyes with a mixture of sorrow and worry. She wondered if she should suggest that he go see a psychiatrist; his mind was no longer functioning like it should, especially after his spy days.

"I think it's just the damp. It looks like you've gotten too used to the sun and now you're having a down day. Come on, the bus will be here in a minute, and Principal Wilkinson says double detention for latecomers!" Alex took one last look at the TV. A red light was flashing on the side; a warning? Then he flung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the house with Sabina.

Alex was still contemplating the matter later that day in science with Mr Hutchinson, his last lesson of the afternoon. 7 and three-quarters hours of school had passed. The weather had cleared up and how he only had 15 minutes of discussing and analysing the insides of a frog before he was free for the weekend – well, until he finished his maths, English and double geography homework. Algebra, poetry and volcanoes, what a brilliant way to start his weekly two day break. He was having trouble thinking. All this talk of criminals and danger was recalling his worst memories. He wasn't afraid that something was going to happen. He knew that. He was safe; MI6 had promised that when he had left. He wasn't nervous. He was stuck, somewhere between slightly paranoid and heavyhearted. Most likely, knowing him, it was probably the last one. But maybe he was completely wrong. Perhaps what Sabina had said earlier that morning had been right? When he had first arrived, shuffling his way towards Sabina and Liz outside the International Terminal of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) he was reminded of the heat and clear skies that this country possessed. He didn't always feel well in dark weather and was grateful when the sun came out. Yes, Sabina must have been right. After all, he _had _gotten through English, maths, geography, double French and RE. He was fine! He had nothing to worry about.

That was, until he saw the man in the black suit.

He was in his thirties, shaven and fit with thin, light blonde hair. 6"2, black glasses, black ear piece. It was obvious to just about anyone that he was an official. Alex was just able to catch a glimpse of the first two letters of his first name on his ID card as he made his way to the physics class: Mi. But what did it stand for – Michael, Mikhail, Miguel? And why was he here? Visitors weren't allowed on school grounds (let alone the inside of the school) without a visitor badge or a member of staff accompanying them – or both. His question was answered when he strolled into the room. Immediately there was silence. The teacher and all the pupils turned towards him. Some were becoming nervous, others were somehow grateful that there lesson was being interrupted.

He looked over the class twice, checking out each student individually once and once again, before pausing for a moment. Then:

"Alex Rider?"

He spoke with a heavy accent that was probably something like African. Alex was aware that he was being stared at by the entire class. He was feeling uncomfortable but he replied as if he knew the man.

"Yeah, what do you want?"

'You are Alex Rider?" the man asked.

"Yes, what's it to you?"

The man said nothing. He walked up to Alex and held his shoulder for about a minute. Then the bell rang.

He let go of Alex and swiftly exited the classroom. Everyone stood up. They were clearly baffled by the sudden intrusion but the teacher tried to act like nothing had happened.

"Okay, class dismissed. Have a good weekend and remember what we learnt today for your test on Tuesday!"

Everyone groaned and joined the struggle to get out of the baked, damp classroom and back to their houses for dinner, TV, video games and the like. Alex hung to the back of the queue. He thought for a moment and then jumped when Sabina grabbed hold of his arm.

"Alex?" Sabina asked sheepishly. Alex chuckled.

"That's the second time today, stop sneaking up on me!" he grinned. They walked out together in silence.

"So, do you know who he was?" Sabina asked.

"Well, judging by his looks and the fact that he came solely for me... hmm, I'd guess he's one of _them_" He sighed.

"If you don't mind Sab, I'd like to go home on my own. See you at the house." Sabina was clearly surprised, but she knew what he had been through before and respected his demands. She jogged ahead, leaving Alex alone. He sighed again, this time more deeply. He put a hand to his head.

_Please don't let it be them_, he thought.

_Authors Note_

Wow, this is coming along nicely. Thank you guys _so_ much for your support. It's really important to know that people appreciate your work, especially in the early stages of a story. More action and drama will follow in the next chapter.

**Review, Read & Reply ©**

Okay, so I know that some authors already do this (although the name is mine, says the copyright symbol ) and I thought I might give it a try! I will respond to each review in the next chapter that it came from. For example, for this chapter (Chapter 1) I will respond to reviews to the Prologue and so on. If I don't respond then I will have PM'd you because, most likely, your review wasn't actually much to do with the story and more about other things; but at least you all get a reply .

**AriDaughterOfZeus 21****st**** July 2013**

_Wow-I am starting to love this story! If you want, I could help with any Americanisms you get confused with._

_-Ari_

Thanks! I know you are a follower, so I might enlist you as my official 'Americanisms I get confused with helper' :D

**MLM20 22****nd**** July 2013**

_That was great!_

Once again, another follower! I like this advice – short, simple and positive. Thanks!

**J'aime lire 24****th**** July 2013**

_This is very interesting! Is Alex just not fighting back because he doesn't want to hurt the bullies?! _

_Please update again soon! _

_J.L._

Yet another loyal follower! Gosh, I'm popular! Alex isn't fighting back because, as it says about halfway through the Prologue he is now softer. After what he has seen, he doesn't like to cause, or watch, people suffer. Thank You!

See you next time, Fanfictionaters!


End file.
